The 35-year-old led Gujarat to their first and only Ranji Trophy title in the 2016–2017 season, scoring over 1,300 runs during that title-winning campaign.
He represented Gujarat in 127 first-class matches, scoring 8,858 runs, including 29 centuries and 34 fifties. A consistent and dependable batter, Panchal played a key role in Gujarat’s Ranji Trophy campaigns in the past decade
His final appearance for Gujarat came in the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Kerala, where he scored an unbeaten 148*. Unfortunately, Gujarat lost that match by just 2 runs, and Kerala qualified for the Ranji Trophy final for the first time in their history.
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Panchal's Unfulfilled Dream
Despite being a successful player in the domestic competition, Panchal didn’t get an opportunity to represent India in any format. He has been part of various India ‘A’ tours but never got a chance to represent the main team. With India having prominent openers coming up the ranks and holding their positions, Priyank Panchal didn’t get the chance he deserved
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One of his biggest achievements was being the leading run-scorer for Gujarat during their 2016–2017 Ranji Trophy title win. He also helped Gujarat clinch the Vijay Hazare Trophy the previous year.
Panchal announced his retirement on social media with the caption: “Over and out. Onto greener pastures now.”
“Growing up, everyone looks up to their father, idolises them, gets inspired, and tries to impress them," Panchal wrote on his social media handle. "I was no different. My dad was a long-lasting source of strength for me. I was moved by the energy that he gave me, the way he encouraged me to pursue my dreams, to rise from a relatively small city and dare to aspire to wear the India cap one day”.
"He left us long ago, and it was a dream I carried with me for nearly two decades, season after season, until today. I, Priyank Panchal, announce my retirement from first-class cricket with immediate effect. It's an emotional moment. It's an enriching moment. And it's a moment which fills me with a lot of gratitude."
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